Congratulations on acquiring your new kitten! Below are our recommendations for routine kitten care. At Kingstowne Cat Clinic, we are dedicated to providing the best health care and maintenance through all stages of your cat’s life. Through risk factor identification and management, we strive to increase the life expectancy of our feline patients. This wellness program should be started as a kitten and continued through the cat’s golden years. During this phase, the basis of healthy habits is established. This is the time to: 1) vaccinate to prevent disease: 2) control parasites: 3) neuter the cat to prevent unwanted litters and future health problems: 4) to understand feline behavior and prevent unwanted behaviors: and 5) to establish lifelong nutritional support to maintain growth and reach an ideal adult weight. Please feel free to contact our staff if you have any questions or concerns at 703-922-8228 (703-9 CATCAT).
Click on a topic below for more information.
PREVENTATIVE HEALTH CARE MEDICATIONS
Prepared by the Advisory Panel on Feline Vaccines of the American
Association of Feline Practitioners
and the Academy of Feline Medicine
Below is a summary of the guidelines published in December 1997. The doctors and staff of Kingstowne Cat Clinic are confident following these guidelines. This revision of previous guidelines was necessary to account for new knowledge and products and will be updated as additional advances indicate. Each veterinarian and veterinary hospital may choose whether to follow these guidelines or not.
1. Adult cats receive a FVRCP (Feline Panleukopenia (Distemper) /Feline Herpesvirus (Viral Rhinotracheitis)/ Feline Calicivirus) booster vaccine 1 year after the initial kitten series. It is boostered every three years thereafter.
Cats are at greater risk of exposure to feline herpesvirus and feline calicivirus if they are periodically housed in boarding, breeding or shelter facilities. These cats may benefit from booster vaccination against these two viruses administered prior to exposure at intervals more frequent than every three years. Antibody titres may be of value.
This is considered a CORE vaccine. Vaccines designated as CORE are recommended for administration to all cats based on the criteria that: 1) the consequences of infection are particularly severe (e.g., feline panleukopenia), 2) the infection in cats poses significant zoonotic potential (e.g., rabies), 3) the disease is prevalent and easily transmitted so that it poses a significant risk to the population of cats at large (e.g., feline herpesvirus and calicivirus), and 4) the vaccine is safe and effective.
2. A 1 year Rabies vaccination is to be given to kittens at 12-16 weeks of age and boostered 1 year later with a 3 year vaccine. This is considered a CORE vaccine. Please note: at the present time, not all states will honor a 3 year vaccine. If you relocate to another state, please check on its Rabies requirements. Kingstowne Cat Clinic Update: As of April 1999, we now recommend the PureVax rabies vaccine which is given yearly. PureVax uses the latest technology to provide your cat with pure, safe and effective rabies protection. It virtually eliminates the chronic injection site inflammation that can be associated with rabies vaccination.
3. Adult cats with unknown vaccine histories should be given a 1 year Rabies vaccine.
4. Feline leukemia vaccines should only be given to cats at risk of coming in contact with a feline leukemia positive cat. Initially, 2 vaccines are given at a 3-4 week interval and boostered annually thereafter. This is considered a NON-CORE vaccine.
The decision to vaccinate a cat with a vaccine that is NON-CORE (e.g., feline leukemia, Chlamydia, feline infectious peritonitis(FIP), and Microsporum canis(ringworm)) should be based on the realistic evaluation of all risk factors, as well as vaccine efficiency and safety.
5. A comprehensive physical examination of each patient at least yearly is important to reassess its health and address possible lifestyle changes that could affect vaccine recommendations for that year. It is important to remember that vaccination does not assure immunization. A small percentage of cats will not be protected by these health maintenance procedures.
INITIAL LABORATORY WORK-UP
Fecal exam - A fecal(stool) sample should be brought in at the time of the initial examination or dropped off at our office as soon as possible. This sample is examined for intestinal parasites that can cause illness, slow rate of growth, or infect other pets or young children in the household. Approximately 90% of all kittens have roundworms. However, the initial stool sample is often negative for roundworm eggs. Therefore, we recommend de-worming your kitten at the initial visit and repeating the procedure 2-3 weeks later. Now, Revolution (see below) may be applied to to deworm the kitten.
Leukemia Virus (FeLV)/Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV or Feline AIDS) Test - This combination test is Feline recommended for all new kittens. This test should be administered before introducing your kitten to any other cats in the household.
Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) - Currently there is not a reliable test for this virus.
PREVENTATIVE HEALTH CARE MEDICATIONS
HEARTGARD for Cats - Approximately 15% of cats tested for antibodies to heartworms in Virginia are positive. Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes, and indoor cats are equally susceptible. Adult worms in the heart or pulmonary arteries can cause acute death. A more common result of heartworm infection in the cat is inflammatory lung disease caused by the migration of the worm larvae through the lung tissue. There is evidence that this inflammation does not resolve with the elimination of the infection. This may predispose the cat to bronchial asthma. Heartgard is a once a month chewable medication to prevent heartworm infection and may be started at 6 weeks of age. This is recommended for all cats.
Program - This is a once a month tablet or liquid that prevents the female flea from laying viable eggs. Therefore, a flea infestation is prevented but adult fleas may still be present. The adult flea lives about 7-14 days. This medication may be started at 6 weeks of age.
Frontline Topspot - This is a once a month topical application to kill fleas and ticks. The kitten must be 12 weeks old to use this medication.
Revolution - This is a revolutionary new product that will prevent and treat earmites, round and hookworms, fleas, and will prevent heartworm infection. It is applied topically once a month.
ROUTINE SURGERIES
Spay (OHE) - Spaying your female kitten is usually performed at around 6 months of age. Neutering at an early age will greatly decrease the chances of developing mammary tumors, eliminate the possibility of uterine infection later in life, and most importantly prevent unwanted litters. Instructions: she is dropped off between 8-8:30 AM (special arrangements can be made to drop off between 7:30-8:00 AM) Monday through Thursday. All food should be withheld after 12:00 midnight the night before surgery so she will come in on an empty stomach. The surgery will be done that morning, and she will be hospitalized for one night and be released during appointment hours the following afternoon. In most cases, absorbable buried sutures will be used. Please check the incision daily for redness, swelling, or drainage. Please call with any concerns. Try to restrict activity for 48 hours and do not let her outside for at least 7 days.
Benefits of Spaying and Neutering
Alter (castration) - Altering your male kitten is usually performed at about 6 months of age. Instructions: He comes in between 8-8:30AM (special arrangements can be made to drop off between 7:30-8:00 AM) Monday through Friday. All food should be withheld after 12:00 midnight the night before surgery. The surgery is done in the morning and he will be released during appointment hours that afternoon unless declawing is also done. Please restrict activity for 24 hours and do not let outside for 3-5 days. Please check surgery site daily.
HOME CARE OF YOUR KITTEN
1. The litter box should be kept clean at all times. Hopefully this will help prevent house soiling problems in the future. We advise having at least one litter box per cat in the household. For young kittens it is important that the box be within easy access to him/her. Please seek help immediately if he/she is not using the box consistently.
2. Fresh water should be available at all times.
3. Brushing should be started as soon as you get your kitten so that he/she will become accustomed to this. This is especially important for longhaired cats. Brushing or combing will decrease the amount of hair shed in the house and help prevent hairball related problems.
4. Nails should be trimmed every few weeks. Practice handling and massaging his/her toes daily so he/she becomes accustomed to this.
5. The staff at Kingstowne Cat Clinic strongly recommends that when transporting your cat, he/she should be in a carrier of some kind. One never knows what could scare your cat in the clinic, going to and from the car, or in route. This extra precaution may save heartache in the future.
6. A premium kitten food such as Select Care Development formula is recommended. Most dry food can be made available to your kitten at all times. However, if the kitten is unable to regulate its intake of calories, please refer to the feeding guidelines of that food. As long as the kitten is eating dry food well, canned food may be considered a treat and not nutritionally required. Adult premium cat food may be introduced between 9-12 months of age. You need to monitor your cat’s weight closely. Obesity starts in young adulthood. Many cats will need the lower calorie version of the premium cat foods.
7. Playing and interacting with your kitten is important. Try to find toys he/she enjoys and try to set aside time each day for play. The fishing pole type toys and laser pointers tend to be popular. Playing immediately before bedtime may help your kitten sleep better.
8. Your kitten can be expected to live 15-20 years or more. Can you imagine not brushing your teeth for that length of time? Periodontal disease is the most common infectious disease of cats, and 85% of cats over the age of three are affected. Now is the time to start prevention. We recommend starting with a palatable toothpaste such as CET Forte. Brushing with either a cat toothbrush or small pediatric brush is best. However, a gauze sponge, wash cloth or Q-tip can be used to apply the paste or liquid. At a minimum, CHX Oral Cleansing Liquid ( a chlorhexidine liquid antiseptic) can be squirted along the gum line. You may want to start with the liquid from a can of tuna or cat food to introduce the idea to the kitten. Try to make this a pleasant experience by offering a reward afterward. Ideally, this should be done daily. Realistically, 2-3 times a week will slow down the process. CET Dental Chews are chewable treats with the CET Forte incorporated in them. This is a viable alternative to brushing. Prescription Diet t/d is a food formulated to decrease plaque and tartar accumulation and can be started at about one year of age. Fluoride application is recommended at the time of neutering to help strengthen the enamel and prevent the development of erosions called feline cervical line lesions. These erosions start at the gum line and affect 65% of cats as they age. Remember - do not use human products because these are not meant to be swallowed and can be very irritating to your cat’s stomach. Please ask for assistance with this training.
9. Cats are creatures of habit and resist changes in their daily routines. Kittenhood is the most important phase to establish habits that will last a lifetime. If you have any questions or concerns, please call 703-922-8228 (703-9 CATCAT). A member of our staff will be happy to assist you.
Below are links for additional information.
Recommendations For New Owners
Developmental Stages of Kitten Behavior
Prevention of Litterbox Problems
9 Steps to Prevent Litterbox Problems Before They Start
Trimming Cat Nails - Step by step instruction with pictures.
Preventing Furniture Scratching
Sticky Paws for Furniture
- click here to order
Keep cats from scratching and destroying your furniture by applying these transparent adhesive strips anywhere you don't want cats to be. Acrylic-based, non-toxic, odor-free, and water soluble, they're easy to apply and remove and they last for months.
Kingstowne Cat Clinic.
Copyright © 1999 by [Kingstowne Cat Clinic]. All rights reserved.
